Radio Woes

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Jan 9, 2000 | 07:19 AM

Larry

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Joined: Aug 1999

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Radio Woes

Got an '88 f-250 4x4 w/AC. My radios' lights for station & clock went out a few weeks ago, but radio still works. Any ideas ?? It's the AM/FM Stereo/Cassette model with 3 ***** for balance, bass & treble. Also, week ago one side sound quit--this comes & goes. Because of AC & heater ducting there's no room to get a paw up in there to fool with wires. Is there an easy way to remove the radio ?? Thanks for any help, folks !!

Jan 9, 2000 | 12:17 PM

mr. tazwrench

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Posts: n/a

Radio Woes

sounds like your radio is shot, i doubt it's the wiring. i'd replace it with an aftermarket unit. if you take off the trim around the radio you'll see screws that hold it in.

Jan 9, 2000 | 09:40 PM

Superdave

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Joined: Sep 1999

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From: Indiana

Radio Woes

Larry, it sounds like the light in the radio just burned out, you can easily replace it. You can get it at the Ford dealer for about a buck. As far as your speaker, maybe just your speaker trying to go bad. Or it may be the radio or wiring.

Jan 13, 2000 | 03:59 AM

Paul W.

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Radio Woes

I had the same exact problem. Ford radios are famous for doing that. Just replace it with an aftermarket stereo. You will be satified.

Oct 12, 2000 | 11:55 AM

bgodkin

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From: Stanton, Suffolk England

Radio Woes

get the bulb from the ford house and while you are out get a can of tuner cleaner from radio shack. When I bought my 1990 F150 I had this exact same problem. Pull the top off of the radio and replace the bulb then hose the rheostats for the volume, balance, etc. down with the tuner cleaner. work the ***** back and forth a bunch of times to clean out the contacts in there. do this once more and then let the radio sit for an hour or so to dry the tuner cleaner out good. This has fixed everyone with the problems you described that I have tried. The total price for the tuner cleaner and light bulb should run you about 6 bucks. a hell of a lot cheaper than a new radio. Hope this helps.

Brad

Oct 12, 2000 | 01:13 PM

Nate_64

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Joined: Jan 2000

Posts: 334

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Radio Woes

You don't need a new radio- like a couple of others have said, it's just the light. Failing radio lights was standard equipment for these trucks.

Mine went out and I got a bulb from my ford dealer- BUT they said the bulb was not a ford item, but that they ordered it from somewhere else and just kept them on hand because they had such a demand for them. That might have changed since, but I just mentioned it because your parts man might not stock them. I think my bulb was three or four dollars. Bgodkin is telling you right about the clean-up. Might as well do it now rather than later.
You'll need some Torx wrenches to get the radio out. the front bezel just pops off and I think 4 torx screws hold the radio in. It'll take about 20 mins to do the whole thing

Nate

1964 F-100 Custom Cab 292 V-8 3 spd
1964 F-100 292 V-8 3 spd
1990 F-150 5.8L
Check out http://clubs.excite.com/f100

Oct 12, 2000 | 01:54 PM

bgodkin

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From: Stanton, Suffolk England

Radio Woes

I just got to thinking if you are going to get some tuner cleaner from radio shack you might want to see if they have a bulb too. They are pretty good about having wierd electrical components like that